a glimmer of sentimentality.

I am not a sentimental person. I don't feel the need for lots of little reminders of things. In fact, my doctor told me something interesting yesterday. Our next appointment is the big one: the is-it-a-boy-or-a-girl-ultrasound. (Surely no one is in shock about that information.) Anyway, if you bring in a blank DVD or five bucks, they'll make a DVD of your ultrasound. I literally said, "oh, I don't care about that." He nearly fell over. Apparently, I'm the first mama-to-be to turn down the DVD. Of course, I had to change my tune when I realized that Mr. Ouiser would be the only one able to attend the ultrasound with me, and I had to deny my stepmother's request to attend. Anyway, I'm not sentimental. Get it? I figure I'll remember the stuff that's worth remembering, and the other stuff is probably fluff.

I digress.

Today I've been working on getting the addresses together for our holiday cards. Some of you probably got an email from me asking to confirm your address. You see, I've had the same address book for about a decade. I've used an entire pencil eraser trying to get rid of addresses that I know have changed. About halfway through all the erasing, I thought, "I should just get a new address book and start over." Then I realized that this address book has been around since Mr. Ouiser's parents still lived in the house he grew up in and my grandmother was still alive. If I got a new one, those little pieces of our past would go with it. M's childhood address and my grandmother's name wouldn't be something that I ever ran across. I kept erasing, and I know that I am nowhere near ready to get rid of that address book.

All of this is pretty out of character for me, but I guess it seemed vaguely important.

Enjoy the rain, peeps. I'm off to make another cup of tea.

not relevant to anything.

So, this has nothing to do with anything other than it's something I found amusing.

I try not to go all Twilight/Harry Potter overkill on the blog, but I just read an article with a quote from Daniel Radcliffe about his supposed feud with Robert Pattinson.

"Someone was talking about this supposed rivalry between Rob Pattinson and me, and what's awesome about this is, between the pair of us, we are striking a blow for the paler man."

He continues to say, "We are white as sheets."

Very true, Harry, very true. Maybe that's why I like both franchises...I am also as white as a sheet. Hooray for being insanely pale. I suppose we now have famous people to look up to. Take that, Jennifer Aniston and all you other tanned celebrities.

there was an old lady...

...named Mellie.

Tomorrow is Mellie Mellie's birthday. We're having a little birthday dinner party for her, and S is once again wanting to go hog wild. She decided today that Mellie's favorite color is pink, so she needs a pink party. She also wants us to get balloons and party hats again, but I'm not doing it because I'm not running all over town looking for pink balloons. So...we decided to paint some sticks from the yard pink for a centerpiece. I'm hoping the excitement of the painted sticks and getting to help me make two desserts will be enough for her. I'll keep you posted.

beautiful.

This morning, S caught me looking at pictures of the dresses worn at last night's CMA awards. She commented on most of them, and then I got to Kimberly Williams, and she nearly plotzed. She went on and on and on about it and swore she was going to be Kimberly Williams and wear that dress when she grows up. Then she wanted to look at more dresses, so we spent the better part of an hour looking at dresses from awards shows from the past year. These three were her favorite*. Hands down.

After she finished looking at dresses online, she sat down in the corner with a notepad and a pen and drew pictures of princesses in pretty dresses.

Try and convince me she's not the girliest girl that ever lived. Go ahead, give it a shot.

Also, she wore a dance costume to get her flu shot today, and we had to take our own Barbie band-aid so she wouldn't have to have a Bugs Bunny one. Like I said, she's as girly as they come.

*These would not be my choices. Not even close. Please don't judge me. Though I will say Carey Mulligan is one of the absolute cutest actresses on the planet, and I do love the silhouette of her "sparkly dress."

things i've learned this fall.

I don't have a whole lot to say, but I am trying to post more. I know how you all miss me during my blogging absences. So, here are some things I've learned recently.

1. Kids clothes from Lands End are worth the money. They're not expensive...unless you're comparing them to Target or consignment. They are, however, worth every penny. They are comfortable. They don't seem to fade at all. They never shrink. Never shrinking is important when you're the parent of the-child-who-won't-stop-growing. Last year, I didn't dry ANYTHING of hers that wasn't a hand-me-down and thus already dried within an inch of its life. This year, I can dry her clothes, which is nice.
2. I over think my daughter's extra curricular activities. Seriously. S is in dance class. I don't think she likes it because she only participates half the time, and she told me last week that she never wanted to go back. Ever. I thought she'd love dance class, and I think she could love it but the age range in her class kind of sucks as the teacher has to cater to children who are way behind S developmentally. I think she gets a little bored. Anyway, she had a great time tumbling at L's party Saturday, so I am thinking about dropping dance in the spring and taking her to gymnastics. Then I remembered that she actually mentioned wanting to play soccer. So now I don't know what to do. Then I reminded myself that she's three, and it doesn't matter. The odds aren't great that she'll be the next Nastia Liukin or Steffi Graf or Mia Hamm, so I'm probably not doing irreparable damage if she doesn't do anything at all. I think I'll just chill out and see what happens.
3. Sometimes letting go is the best thing you can do. This one has two parts. #3A has to do with parenting. A year ago I was all freaked out because S didn't know all her letters and some of her friends did. She refused to even talk about letters. But suddenly, she's all about letters. She talks about them all the time. She wants to write letters all the time. She drives us bananas wanting us to list words that start with different letters. She tells us every letter she sees on every sign we pass. Kids will do stuff when they're ready, and when they're ready: watch out. #3B is about the house. My condition meant that I couldn't go crazy getting the house done when we moved in, but we're getting there slowly. Amazingly, all the pictures not being hung is okay. It makes me a little crazy, but I have to pace myself, which is new. I've figured out that eating dinner as a family and reading books at bedtime and keeping our lives sane is more important than keeping our home neat...but I still like things to be neat. I'm not going crazy here.
4. It's probably okay to love your pet but not really like him very much. Meaning, I don't think I'll go to Hell for wanting to give the dog away 5 out of 7 days a week. I really do love him. I just don't like him sometimes. It's also probably okay to feel this way about people in your life.

I guess that's all...and it's really, really boring. But it's something, right??

dear santa.

Remember how two weeks ago I wanted to pitch all our stuff in a dumpster? Well, I'm done with that. Want to know why? I got Ina Garten's new cookbook yesterday, and I think she made a deal with the devil. Seriously. The book contains a pictorial list of 68 things she thinks she couldn't function without in her kitchen. 68 things. And this rather exhaustive list follows an explanation of why she likes to keep things simple around the kitchen. Granted, the things aren't crazy, and I have a lot of them (though mine are approximations, I can't afford a full set of All-Clad or LeCreuset). Ina's list is as follows, and I think it's okay to put it on here since I'm giving her credit, right??

Parchment paper for sheet pans, Cook's Illustrated, graduated glass bowls, baking mixes, Olio Santa Oil, spice drawer, personal recipe file, "Plan B," LeCreuset Dutch Ovens, All-Clad saute pans, Post-It Notes for seating, votive candles, Post-It Notes for platters, cake stands, extra mixing bowls for her Kitchen-Aid mixer, cake testers, chinese take out containers for picnics, flat platters, french bread baskets, gel floor mats, a large basket for trays, cast iron skillets, 2 dishwashers, sharp knives, All-Clad pots, white bakeware, an extra Cuisinart bowl, Peppermate peppermill, a large stockpot (I assume All-Clad), lots of timers, lots of sheet pans, grocery pads, parchment paper for baking pans, lots of measuring tools, thermometers, ice cream scoops, crocks for utensils, pop-up sponges, lemons and limes on the counter, salt crock, spoons and spatulas, a candy thermometer, white towels, tasting spoons, lots of white plates, dish towels for napkins, bog bowl for chilling wine, lots of white platters, pretty dessert plates, glasses for vases, placecards, unironed napkins, a chinese strainer, a box grater, a coffee grinder for spices, a salad spinner, kitchen twine, vegetable peelers, professional utensils, a rasp zester, professional plastic wrap, mise en place, a french rolling pin, cooking scale, a salad bowl, plastic storage containers, graduated stainless bowls, and pastry bags.

It's a big list, and you might've noticed that it can be repetitive. That is if you managed to read the whole list. Also, this list is for someone with a big kitchen. A kitchen with space for two dishwashers and huge baskets and loads of utensil crocks...not to mention the counterspace for a box of professional plastic wrap. (For the record, Ina's right: professional plastic wrap is vastly superior to the Saran Wrap or Cling Wrap you buy in the grocery. If you've spent enough time working in restaurants, you know this is true.)

A lot of the list is just good stuff, though. And basic stuff. And stuff I want. Like a graduated set of LeCreuset Dutch Ovens. Or the Peppermate. Or the kitchen twine, since I haven't found mine since the move. Anyway, I just thought I'd let you all know that I'm back to being a full-fledged American consumer who wants, wants, wants.

Have a great day, peeps.

in honor of #34

So, yesterday was M's 34th birthday. S and I made him a delicious chocolate cake, which she made festive with sprinkles and a word jumble. She also insisted on party hats and balloons for her daddy, so it was a little like a birthday party for a little kid. Then again, it was like a birthday party for her because she opened all of his presents for him and then threw them at him when she realized they weren't presents she wanted...except for the musical card from my family, which she's been playing with all day. I now hate the song "We Will Rock You" if anyone is keeping track of songs I hate.

Anyway, in honor of the chocolate cake that has finger marks in it from two very mischievous little girls, I give you this poem. Whenever I read it to S, I have to read it multiple times. I hope you enjoy it as much as she does...and as much as I enjoyed the piece of cake I ate while writing this post.

how much is too much?

Let's be honest: we didn't really pack or prepare for this move. Those of you who are familiar with "in town" moves might be familiar with this insanity. It went something like this:

We have eight boxes. Let's fill them up, take them to the castle, dump the stuff out and start again. We'll get a U-Haul one day to move the really big stuff. Done.

Only, I think I mentioned yesterday that I've not been myself lately. So, it wasn't Ouiser doing her usual type-A over-analyzed, over-prepared, over-thought dumping of stuff. It was Mr. Ouiser style, which was a more literal interpretation of "fill them up, take them to the castle, dump the stuff out and start again." And I'm not complaining. No ma'am. Mr. Ouiser almost single-handedly made this move happen. The problem is that when all your stuff is just in piles everywhere, it's a little overwhelming.

It's been well documented on this blog that I don't advocate the having of lots of things. I don't like having stuff for the sake of having it. In fact, I hate it. But right now?? Right now, I just can't see the point in all the stuff that I've got around here. And we're talking about stuff that I love. Mr. Ouiser's mother's china. His grandmother's crystal. Our clothes. Our shoes. There is just so, so much of everything. And I'm not with it enough to figure out where it all needs to go. I just spent half an hour delivering pictures around the house to hang on walls. And I still took several to the attic. I mean, if I've got so much stuff that in this giant house I have to store it in the attic, does that mean that I need to purge??

Maybe I'm over-thinking it. You know...Ouiser-style.

On a brighter note, here's another picture of my favorite little face from our Mammoth Cave excursion.

lucky number 600

This is my 600th post. Seriously. What on Earth have I rambled about in 600 posts? Besides nothing lately??

Anyway...

We've moved into the castle. At least all of our stuff and our bodies are in the castle. There's mysteriously been a lot of vomit in my life lately...and S had an ear infection...and I had strep during the move. It's been insane. Either way, we're

getting there, but there are no pictures, and I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for pictures. It's a slow process these days.

I just wanted to say hello. I know you've missed me. I'll placate you with a couple of pictures of S.

it sucks to be the fly.

Last night in the bathroom, I noticed the world's tiniest spider spinning a tiny web. I remember thinking, "I pay US Pest (eco-friendly, people) to rid my home of pests." And I almost squished the little guy, but I didn't. It was so small that I doubted it would make it long anyway, falling prey to my curious dog or something.

Fast forward to this morning. I looked over at the corner, and a huge fly was caught in the web. I pulled the whole thing down and flushed the poor dead fly. But I stood there in awe of nature. A little morbid. A lot fascinating.

Beyond my dealings with household pests, I had a great birthday weekend. I got a new Foundling necklace (mine's pink, I could only find a pic of the blue version), a fancy camera strap that I had been drooling over, and a night out with the hubby. He surprised me with Natalie Merchant tickets, and we grabbed dinner at SATCo. It was great. Then there was birthday lunch for me and Drew on Sunday...chicken and dressing and cheesecake. And I made dinner yesterday for his birthday: Ina's Company Pot Roast with mashed potatoes and peas and Kaitlin brought a yummy cake with strawberries. So things aren't half bad around here...aside from the fact that no one has bought our house, and I am really becoming offended. Really.

no more fever.

So S has been sick. Fever. Cough. That sort of thing. There has been a lot of apple juice consumed and a lot of television watched as I try to get her to rest. She was pretty much better yesterday, and her fever has been gone since mid-day yesterday, so I sent her to school today. Thank goodness.

It's been pretty low key around here as I've tried not to share our germs with anyone, and two days with my girl on the couch or on the guest bed left me plenty of time to read, so I devoured The Historian, which I enjoyed.

House update: cabinets are installed and are amazing and I am already in love with the pullout garbage can...and I am so giddy that I don't even mind run-on sentences. Painting will be done Friday. Then light fixtures can be installed. Counter top will take a week. Then carpet and cork. Then done. Hallelujah. It feels so good to almost have everyone out of my new old house. Then it will be all ours.

Now I must shower because Couch-to-5k makes me stinky, and I am afraid to stink up the preschool when I pick S up.

something i stumbled upon.

So, I just ran across this post.

I'm not sure, but maybe Small Notebook and I are related because I couldn't agree more.

I was particularly interested in the DustBuster argument. We totally had one when I was growing up, but it never got used. It was kind of a novelty. Anyway, I remember a couple of years ago when those Kone DustBuster things were introduced, and there were displays of them all over the place at Christmas and the commercials were on all the time, and I thought it was the single dumbest thing ever. One: who really needs a DustBuster? They have to stay charged, so they're a total energy suck. A sweeper and dust pan do great jobs on small messes, and if you really need vacuum-powered suction, you are likely to have a vacuum. Right? Two: if you are a person who cannot possibly live without a DustBuster in your life, do you really want to make it a part of your home decor? Really?

But enough about DustBusters. The whole idea of sticking to the classics is a pretty solid one. At least I think it's pretty solid. Take, for instance, my kitchen. Y'all know I love the kitchen, and I love a kitchen gadget. But there are some things I'll just never buy. Like a mandolin. I know they're supposed to be great, but even the ones that fold super small take up a lot of space. And I'd probably cut my fingers off. I'll just stick to my knives and cutting boards. And of course, I'd never get a wok. I've given away my waffle iron because it's a hassle. I think I scour my kitchen a couple of times a year to donate the stuff I never use. Like the garlic press. Cleaning a garlic press is a pain. Back to the knives and cutting board.

I kind of feel like there should be stickers all over the place with the slogan, "Keep it simple, Stupid." You know what I'm saying??

trying to chill.

Our lives have been nutty lately, and it's all of our own making. Well, mostly. M can't help when things get crazy at work.

The past several months have been a blur. There has been so, so much going on. It feels like the Ouisers aren't enjoying life together much lately because we're being pulled in a million different directions. I don't really think it's fair to S to put her in this craziness. I do not think that our schedules have adversely affected our daughter. I really don't. But I want our family to be calmer than this. And it has to start with some tough decisions. Or at least with saying no.

So I will say no. I've already started actually. There will not be any political campaigning by Ouiser this fall. None. And Mike McWherter is going to need help. Roy Herron probably will, too, but the help can't come from me. It's the first step to reclaiming my balance.

It can be hard when there is so much that I want to do. So much I want to help with. I want to start a community garden. I want to start gardens at our local elementary schools. I want to raise lots of money for the arts. I. Want. To. Do. More. Than. I. Can. Right. Now.

It is very frustrating.

delayed.

So my painter had surgery for prostate cancer. Who knows what's going on there. Needless to say, nothing is getting painted at my house. The new word on the street is "end of next week." Also, our cabinets got pushed back to next Tuesday or Wednesday...and apparently, the granite countertop happens a week after that. And the cork floor isn't going down until after the countertop in case the granite gets dropped...and ruins our beautiful, expensive cork floors. So we're just sitting around. Waiting. It feels like nothing is getting done, and I suppose that's okay because (in case you're keeping tabs) this house is still gleefully on the market.

Beyond the house, I went for a Girls Night Out on Tuesday night, and it was very fun. We painted and drank wine.

S made a sock puppet today. There was a LOT of Tacky Glue used to make the Pink-Flamingo-that-is-covered-with-buttons. Lots of glue. Lots of buttons.

Now I'm working on making I-am-so-sad-that-you're-moving-away-bread for my friend K while also thinking about making dinner. I am looking forward to dinner. I've been hitting the gym pretty hard the past couple of weeks, and I'm hungry.

That is all. I must mince some garlic.

so in love.

Okay. This whole remodel thing has kicked our butts. It's been dirty and expensive and full of little problems. But. Oh, but. I am so excited. It's almost done. 2-3 weeks, and we'll be finished. The painting should be complete by the end of this week. The marble shower was installed last Friday. The tile floor will be laid in the bathroom very soon. The cabinets will be installed this week (I think). We're so close, and having the walls painted is really making it seem like we are going to get to live there someday. Really.

In the meantime, we're still trying to unload this place, so if you know anyone looking for a wicked awesome house just off Main Street in Dickson, send them our way.

Until then, we'll continue keeping the furniture dusted, the beds made, the counters wiped down, and the floors swept and vacuumed. Seriously, I kept a pretty tidy house before, but I'm getting pretty sick of having the house always "on."

Okay, I'm going to read for a bit.

Toodles.

it will begin with the letter 'A'

S started preschool this morning. Like, actual preschool. Not Mother's Day Out. Preschool. With learning.

We went to Open House last night and met her teachers, and they told us that today they would start learning the letter 'A.' That is so exciting...though she already knows 'A,' so I was hoping they'd start with 'F.' She adamantly refuses to acknowledge that letter. Whatever. I'm excited for her. She was very sweet this morning, and she's way too independent already. She asked me, "Do you have to walk me to my classroom, Mommy?" Um, yes. I do.

So, my little girl is off at school with her lunch of peanut-butter-and-jelly-cut-in-rectangles-not-triangles, pretzels, grapes, and gummies. I am sitting here looking through all the pictures I took of her this morning and wondering how it's possible that this child of mine is already in preschool. It's pretty amazing...this whole being a mommy thing.

She started the photo session with a little disco. Unfortunately, the camera lens was foggy.
Every preschooler needs a funny face.
Her "packpack," which she claimed was very heavy once her lunch was packed.
I am a little afraid that she's going to be like Chandler Bing...no picture smile at all.

hello again.

The Ouiser peeps spent last weekend in Memphis, and it was hot. I think that living in Memphis for almost seven years desensitized me to the heat, but it was horrific. Don't get me wrong, it's hot here, too. In fact, it's the hottest summer ever. For serious. It's been miserably hot (mid-to-high 90s ) for awhile now, and when it rains (if it rains) it doesn't cool anything off, it just makes it more humid. Anyway, Memphis was a whole new league. There was heat radiating off of everything. All that concrete and asphalt made the city feel like an oven. When you opened the car door the heat hit you, not in the face, but from underneath you, like the ground was trying to cook you. Anyway, you might want to steer clear of the River City for the next few weeks. I will say that the barbecue nachos almost made the heat seem like a fair deal. Almost.

So that was random.

I'm really blogging because my sisters tagged me. Here you have it:

4 things you'd find in my bag:
I don't really have a bag, but S got her first backpack yesterday, so I'll tell you what's in that:
A scarf
A magnifying glass
Drumsticks
The Black Arrow by Robert Louis Stevenson
also: four wooden eggs (1 fried, 3 in the shell), a wooden pizza, a map of the Memphis Zoo, and a wooden knife and fork.

4 things you'd find in my purse:
Wallet
Face sunscreen stick
Mobile phone
A fan from Carole's wedding (I don't know why it's still there)

4 favorite things in my room (on the nightstand):
A stack of magazine articles (National Geographic) that I've been meaning to read
The Complete Works of Jane Austen
A picture of M from Austria
A picture of my grandparents from my cousin Daniyelle's wedding

4 things I'm currently into:
MI-5 (watching one episode a day while S rests)
Vanilla Caramel creamer
clementines
watching S make up and sing songs

4 things you don't know about me:
If you've been reading this blog since it began, you probably already know everything, but I'll try:
My earring holes no longer exist as I've been unable to tolerate earrings since I was pregnant with S.
I hate feet.
M and I have been watching LOTR: FOTR, and more than ever before, the bad guys are really, really freaking me out.
I don't like to call mobile phones cell phones because I think saying mobile phone sounds British and therefore it is cooler.

There you go, PB and LF. I tag Scarlet Lily, Yum, die Frau, and High Heels.

Until next time, peeps...

checking in.

I'm really only blogging to appease my husband and my Aunt M/Uncle E who totally laid a guilt trip on me Saturday night about my lack of blogging. Alas, I have nothing interesting to say. Nothing. Things are moving along at the new house, while the current Ouiser abode sits on the market. Seriously, somebody buy my adorable house.

So, what to report?? I seem to have caught some slight illness. Wicked sore throat. Achy. You know the drill. It seems to be getting better, though, and that's welcome. While I was resting today (during S's rest time) I watched The Importance of Being Earnest, and I loved it. You can't really go wrong with Colin Firth in a comedy. I love him so. Tonight, I think Mr. Ouiser is helping Mr. Feathernester schlep some furniture, so I'm trying to decide what I'll watch then. My current illness makes reading less than awesome, and Jane Austen is not easy to read anyway...thus Fanny Price must wait.

Really that's about it. Sad, I know. Until next time...and you never know when that will be...

while i wait.

I've promised my daughter and my friends a trip to the pool today, so I'm hoping that the rain holds off. If not, I'll have a mutiny on my hands. Anyway, I'm waiting for the dishwasher to run so I can take a quick shower. These legs must be shaved before I'll expose them to the world. I thought I'd do a little blogging while I wait.

I think most of you are on Facebook, so you know what we've been up to. Carole's amazing wedding. It was beautiful, and now my very dear friend is a very dear married friend, and I am super happy for her and her "prince." (That's what S calls him.)

Since we've been back, we are finally in the loop about what's going on at the castle. Unfortunately, I have no pictures of the progress, but here's a rundown: new windows, new gutters, new electrical wiring, lots of new drywall, ceilings painted, exterior cleaned, and new HVAC system: done. That's a short list, but it's a lot. A lot of work and a lot of checks. Yowsers. The marble shower should be ready in the next week, and the kitchen cabinets and bathroom vanity will be ready for install the second week of August. The painter starts Saturday or Monday. The cork floors for the kitchen and breakfast nook, the tile floor for the bathroom, and the carpet for the family room are all ordered. The blinds for upstairs are in boxes in the ballroom right next to the boxes of light fixtures and the boxes containing the kitchen sink, the kitchen faucet, and the stainless vent hood. And I know I'm forgetting something. Probably something important. I'll figure it out later.

In the meantime, I'll have to turn my castle-brain off for a few days and turn my Firefly brain back on as I have a CAD meeting tonight. Then I need to get ready for the mulligan. I'm starting to wonder if our lives can ever just be calm or if we'll be running around like crazed looney-tunes forever. Someone send me a Xanax. Not really. I don't condone extraneous drug use.

on a lighter note.

So, I have spent the last week and a half thinking about and researching grants, it's true. But I've also totally taken the opportunity (you know the "I don't have a festival to plan right now" opportunity) to catch up on some reading. Last Monday I started The Invention of Hugo Cabret, which I'd seen recommended in literally dozens of places, and I so love young adult literature that I couldn't help myself. Besides, The Reading Rock had some extra copies. It was good, but I had it so built up in my head that I was disappointed. The illustrations, though, were amazing. Then I remembered that I had bought a copy of Kurt Vonnegut's A Man without a Country back in the autumn that I hadn't read, and I needed a little Vonnegut fix, so I read that. It did not disappoint. I do so love Kurt Vonnegut, and I am still sad that he died. I finished that while I was visiting my family, so I borrowed Tuck Everlasting from my sister S3. (Me being S1, and the middle sister being S2.) It was a very sweet read. It made me feel all warm and fuzzy. Also, it took about three hours to read, so if you're looking for something quick to read at the pool one day, check it out. After that, I was very busy seeing Eclipse twice over the weekend, and then watching Twilight and New Moon at home, so I had to re-read Twilight. I still love Edward. Love. Fictional love, Mr. Ouiser. Worry not. Then yesterday, in an attempt to calm my brain, I read Water for Elephants. I usually steer clear of new literature. Especially really popular bestsellers. But, C's mom and some others had raved about it at a shower a couple of months back, and Robert Pattinson is starring in the upcoming movie, so I bought it and gave it a whirl. It was wonderful. I really should read some popular stuff that is meant for people my age. There is usually a reason it's popular. I suppose. So, today I'll be cracking open the first Percy Jackson book on the recommendation of my sisters. I'm afraid if I don't love it, they'll disown me. After that, assuming I can keep myself from purchasing and reading the whole PJ series, I'm planning to pick up a copy of The White Queen.

I love having time to read. Of course, C's wedding is in nine days, so I will have to curtail the reading a bit, but that's okay. I'm so happy for her little job-having self that I almost can't stand it.

So, what are all of you reading this summer?

moving right along.

It's been awhile, eh? Despite my not blogging since the end of May, I don't even have any pictures to offer you. We've been too busy to bother with things like cameras. That means no pictures from Firefly, though there are some on Facebook. So...

...Firefly was great. It was palpably better than last year, and that was encouraging. Frankly, I had gotten to the point that I rather wanted it to flop. I was that exhausted from the planning. But then the festival was so much better that I am actually excited about it for next year. Already. Of course, that brings its own set of problems, and that's what actually got me on the blog. I've spent several hours each day this week researching. Researching grants. Public grants. Private corporations that give grants. You name it, I'm looking for it. Money, that is. Money to make the festival better. And it's wearing me out. My head is thinking of things faster than I can even process the ideas, and I am constantly reminded that I am not really entrepreneurial at heart. Organized? Yes. Efficient? Yes. Entrepreneurial? Not so much. I lose motivation. I get frustrated.

Anyway, I was happily digging into the world of arts grants when I was hit with information about two new grant opportunities that were announced last week through HUD. They are essentially both grant opportunities for creating sustainable communities with some special consideration given to incorporating arts and culture into the plans...and there is an emphasis on not only creating new communities but also working to better existing communities. And I've just got these big ideas. Big, exciting ideas for revitalizing abandoned commercial spaces into green space with public art. I can see it. Every time I pass spaces along the highways throughout the county...spaces that previously housed something...anything...hotels, gas stations, whatever. Spaces that are now empty buildings or empty parking lots...I see them as potential. Potential areas for grass and trees. Sculpture. Fountains. Gardens. Places that are pleasing to look at as you drive by or walk by. And here's the thing. I'm in over my head. Already. I called the head of the county zoning office because (get this) there was just an article in the paper TODAY about how Dickson County is growing and they are getting together a long term growth plan. Hello!! I wanted to know the plan. How far has this plan gotten? Are they even thinking of sustainability? Or are they just planning how and where to build new roads and dig new city sewer lines and all that? It turns out they are having a meeting tomorrow night, which he encouraged me to attend. And I'll try, but there's a debate tomorrow night for the county mayoral candidates that M really wants to attend...and who knows? Anyway, the whole point of this post was to help me clear my head. Help me get a grip on all of this...and to let you know that I'm not blogging because my brain is all filled up with other stuff.

Anyone got any great ideas out there on how I can create my perfect county to live in? Anyone? Bueller?

i really do apologize.

I know. It's been a long time. I know I said that last time, too. I'm just swamped. M is swamped. We are big time swamped. Here's the reason. (One of the reasons.)

For the record, the turquoise shutters and wrought iron trim will be two of the first things to be painted. And just so you know, I'm standing at the base of the front yard...next to the old grass tennis court. Yeah, that's right. Mr. Ouiser is going to have a grass court.

We bought another house. A fabulous house...or at least what will be a fabulous house. It's been vacant for two years. The Colonel and the Mrs (previous owners) passed away a couple of years ago, and it took awhile for their out-of-town kids to get it on the market, and then to lower the price to what someone would actually pay for a house that needs this much work. We've got a big project on our hands, and M has been hard at work knocking out tile and cabinets and walls and tearing up old carpets. And, for the record, we weren't looking for another house. I just happened to find it online when I was looking at a friend's house online. Anyway, that's been taking a lot of our time. We first saw the house about five weeks ago. We made an offer about four days later (after having our builder take a look at it), and we closed almost two weeks ago. We've spent most of our spare time since then thinking about/working on/planning the remodel.

Also, it's Firefly time, and that's kicking my tail right now. There is so much more work to be done this year because we lost most of last year's help. Frankly, I feel like I'm drowning beneath my Firefly To-Do List. However, that'll be all over in one month. Despite how it may seem, I am really, really looking forward to the festival. We've got some amazing artists coming. And, I do believe I'll blow my bank account on this lady's work. Oy.

C's wedding is also fast approaching, and I am worried about something slipping through the cracks. Like somehow I'm going to forget to order her flowers or something. Somebody remind me.

It looks a little puny when it's written out in three short paragraphs, but it feels like I've got more to do than I have hours in the day. I suppose what's going to get done will get done and that's all there is to it.

Lastly, my daughter is still adorable. I was taking pictures of this house for the realtor the other day and she demanded to be in them. So, here's a little S for you. Well, two pictures as I just can't stop myself. I'll regale you with stories of Little Ouiser soon. Until then...

Hambone. Just so you know, that black thing in her hand is the strap to my yoga mat. She's been putting it around her (stuffed) frog's neck and calling it a leash. Also, her jaw is not crooked like it looks. She's just making a face.

I call this one Melancholy and the Infinite Cuteness.

a catch all.

I realize that it's been almost two weeks since I last posted. You have my sincerest apologies. Things have been a bit nutty around here. Last week, I spent several fabulous days with dear C in Knoxville and Asheville, working on planning her awesome wedding-to-be. When I got home there was much (and I mean much) baking to do. Alpine Easter Bread and Banana Nut Bread for a cancer auction. Apple Tarte Tatin, Fresh Coconut Cake, Buttermilk Dinner Rolls, and Sweet Potato Biscuits for Easter lunch. Don't let anyone tell you differently, that was a lot of baking. Lots of flour was used. Lots. Also, fresh coconuts are a lot of work in and of themselves. That feat will not be repeated. Especially since I don't even eat coconut. Barf. We also had a lot of gardening work to get done over the weekend. Plus you know...church. And Easter lunch. And laundry. And life. You know how it goes. So, that was all very busy but everything went well.

Today I was preparing the family to leave on a little trip to Gatlinburg tomorrow. M is presenting at a conference, and S and I are tagging along. Unfortunately, M's dad's dog, the infamous Pretzel, had to be put to sleep this morning. She was just a shade under sixteen years old. She lived a very long and pampered life, and because she was so old, this wasn't a huge shock. We were not, however, expecting to have to do it today. M had to come home early from work to meet me at the vet's office, but it's for the best. We took her out to the farm and buried her near where we plan to live sometime in the future. It's a little surreal to think back on this day and realize that really happened.

Now, we're packing to leave in the morning, so we'll be out of commission for another week. I know you'll be very sad, but I'll leave you with some Easter pictures to tide you over.

Really. She is this pretty.
My loves.
My child...whose hair is almost always strung across her face.
The quintessential L.

wonder.

Ohdeedoh posted a link to this book today, and it got me thinking. I've noticed things recently that have changed about S. Things that indicate that she is definitely growing and developing. I thought I'd share.

• S recently became much more deliberate with her drawing. She still rarely draws things that are actual things, but instead of big, looping doodles, her drawings are now compact...deliberate really is the best word for it.
• She has begun imitating writing. However, she still completely lacks interest in learning letters, which is odd because...
• She adores books and stories. She can recite verbatim many pages from many books. She loves words, doesn't care about letters. We'll get there.
• She has become very interested in pleasing adults. She is the kind of kid that responds much better to praise when she's good than discipline when she's bad. I'm discovering that talking to her about how she's expected to behave before we embark on our daily adventures is very helpful. Then, if she acts up, I can remind her of what we've talked about, and she generally doesn't want to disappoint anyone. Emphasizing that she's done well after the fact and that her behavior has made me proud or happy really works with her. Also, she worries much more about making people sad than mad.
• She is getting faster and stronger all the time and it's obvious. Watch out, world.
• She helps in the garden, but I sense that she realizes that her plastic play garden tools are inferior and I think she finds that frustrating.
  
• She is a great pretender. I love listening to the things that she makes up even though nearly all of her imaginings involve a princess.
  

That's just a bit of Little Ouiser in a nutshell.

props to mr. ouiser.

Remember that dress and those shoes that I was e-drooling over last week? Well. Someone who must love me a lot had them sent to me today. Of course, as I was opening the box I was thinking, "I don't remember ordering anything recently." Then as I was pulling the dress out of the box, I was thinking, "Oh, Lord. My online shopping has gotten so out of hand that I'm buying myself pricey sundresses and not even remembering it! I need help." Then I relaxed and called Mr. Ouiser and sweetly asked if he'd happened to order me a present, which he had. Hooray for surprises. Unfortunately, even though he ordered the sizes in both the dress and the shoes that I would've ordered, they are both too big. They are already boxed to exchange. Also, someone pointed out how cute the dress and shoes would look together, and by jove they look fantastic...even when they're too large. As soon as the replacements are here, I promise a picture because it's just too cute not to share.

All in all, it's been a pretty good day. Haircuts for me and S (her first...adorable), sunshine and a walk with lots of hopping like kangaroos, and a fabulous surprise from my hubby. Good day indeed. Plus, it's my friend die frau's birthday, so maybe she's getting some cake today. Good days all around!!

family movie night.

Simple Mom has a post about family rituals today, and upon reading it, I've realized that the Ouisers started a new family ritual a little over a month ago. On Sunday evenings, after dinner, we have Family Movie Night. There is an episode of The Berenstain Bears that features Family Movie Night, so S thinks it's awesome. Plus, she enjoys cuddling with us while we all watch a movie together. So far, we've watched Lady and The Tramp, Hercules, The Sword in the Stone, Heidi (with Shirley Temple), and Cinderella. So far, the whole thing has been wonderful, and we're starting a rotation to determine who gets to pick the movie each week as don't want to be continually forced to watch princess movies. After we put S to bed, M and I then watch a movie. It's the only night of the week that we really hang out on the couch and watch TV and it's proving to be a great way for us to just chill out before starting a new week.

I just thought I'd share what's happening around these parts. I'll leave you with a picture of S just as we were leaving for church yesterday morning.

29 and the leffrecons.

No, I am not claiming that as my age. I am 30 and proud of it. 29 was my score on the Stress Inventory test that I just took. If we weren't so worried about my FIL all the time, my score would've been a ZERO. I am a very fortunate woman. Anyway, I found the test from this article. I found it all very interesting.

Anyway, I hope you all had a lovely St. Patrick's Day and kissed some Irish folk. We enjoyed our Beef and Guinness Stew, which was really, really fabulous. Oodles better than Julia's Boeuf Bourguinon. Oodles. Better. Plus, I had the realization as I was browning the beef that knowing how to cook properly can be a huge pain in the arse sometimes. Like when you have to brown beef in five separate batches because you know better than to crowd it in the pan. Then the beef browning portion of meal prep takes you over half an hour because as one who knows how to cook properly you know that you need to really brown beef because superficial browning just stews away and leaves your stew chewy and stringy instead of melt-in-your-mouth tender as this was in the end. Anyway. The stew was good.

Also, S had a great St. Patty's experience as a "leffrecon" came to her classroom and stole all the shamrocks. They then hunted for them all over the building. When they came back from the Shamrock Hunt, the "leffrecon" had left them all "money candy," which was chocolate gold coins. I think she may now feel that St. Patrick's Day is the best day ever...but then again, she didn't like the stew, so maybe not.

heels.

I went through a phase in my life where I went everywhere in heels. Everywhere. At the time I was working for a couture bridal designer/social staple in Memphis, and it suited. However, at this point in my life, if you want to see me in heels, you'd best be hosting a cocktail party or an evening wedding, and even then I'll try to find a way to wear flats. Wicked cool flats, but flats.

But.

Yesterday we got the catalog for the new LL Bean Signature line, and I fell in love with these shoes. Of course I won't buy them because I'm a stay-at-home-mom, and where the bejeez would I wear them?? However, I will stare longingly at them. Then of course, I got on the website and ran across this dress, which I also covet. I'm feeling very, very much like I need a big, expensive shopping trip. If anyone would like to donate to that cause, send checks...because you know you can't send cash in the mail.

And on the subject of fashion, the other night I got insanely excited about getting to watch the Oscars edition of The Fashion Police. The next day, when we turned the TV on, the episode was playing again, and I squealed a bit and said, "Oooh, M, look it's on again." He laughed and pointed out that my Achilles heel is shows about dresses. He might be right. I could watch Say Yes to the Dress a hundred times in a row.

I will leave you now so I can think about dresses...instead of important things...

oh. my. awesome.

I just ran across this little idea online, and I feel the need to immediately drag my sick child to the Goodwill for potential tee shirts to hack into. (Goodwill is the best place to take sick kids, right?) I am loving the idea of my precious S in that little dress. Oh, oh, oh!!

Also, it is still raining. It's supposed to cease tomorrow thankfully. I am really tired of gray and wet. Luckily, the wet is starting to make things green, which S and I witnessed today as we were driving around the back roads of Dickson County to drop off scholarship applications at CWHS.

So, to wrap this post up: I want to make a dress, and rain makes things green.

Good day to you all.

a lightbulb.

Just a few minutes ago, a lightbulb went off in my head. This might seem a little ridiculous, but I'm going to share my brilliant thought because, for me, this is ground-breaking stuff. Here goes:

I don't have to be doing something all the time.

It's a tough pill to take...swallowing the idea that I don't always have to be in motion. Realizing that every second doesn't have to be productive is like realizing that I have three eyes. But I realized it just the same. I generally think that all my waking moments should be filled with something constructive. Those constructive things are quite often things that I want to be doing, like gardening or baking bread or painting or something, which is great, but here's the downside: I never stop. A few minutes ago, after I'd swept the floors, dusted the furniture, folded and put away a load of laundry, and cleaned the kitchen, I immediately reached for The Bread Bible wondering what to do next. Then I realized that just because I had the time to make a loaf of bread didn't mean that I had to make it or even that I should. I don't know what I'll do with this new found wisdom, but it is allowing me a little wiggle room in my general outlook on my days. We'll have to see how it goes from here...

For now I'm just thinking about it and realizing how completely un-American this seems. The idea that we can relax...WHAT?!?!?! We don't always have to work. Sometimes we can just enjoy life. Maybe I should just move to France after all. I'm sure I'd pick up the language after a few years of complete immersion, right?

correction.

I was off yesterday. The mailing from the Census Bureau went to 120 million households. So, add five million pieces of paper, five million envelopes, and a boatload of ink to yesterday's imaginary pile of waste. I'm still upset. Can you tell?

S is off to Mother's Day Out, and I'm off to run errands. I just wanted to let you all know about my little mistake. Have a great Wednesday.

a monumental waste.

I know I've already blogged today, but seriously!! We just received a letter from the Census Bureau informing us that we would be receiving our census survey next week and to please fill it out and return it promptly. Really. If you believe the 1995 projection that there would be 115 million households in the United States by this year, then think about that. 115 million pieces of paper. 115 million envelopes with plastic windows. For starters, imagine that pile of paper. Then think about the ink. Now, imagine all the energy and resources it took simply to produce that quantity of mail. Next, think about how much that mail weighs. Then think about it being trucked all over the country by the postal service and delivered to each household. How much gasoline do you think it took to get each envelope to each household? At least at my house the paper has been shredded and added to the compost bin, but I would wager that a vast majority of American households don't even recycle, let alone compost.

Someone explain to me how this mailing by the U.S. Department of Commerce/Economics and Statistics Administration/U.S. Census Bureau is anything less than a monumental waste of resources. Especially since its only purpose it to let you know that you'll be getting another mailing in about a week...

I am livid.

changing the rules.

We've spent four solid days outside. Friday at the playground. Saturday at the zoo. Sunday in the churchyard and the garden. Yesterday in the garden again. Now, we're settling in for rain. Several days of it if you tend to believe things like radar maps and forecasts. The rain is a good thing. It will make pulling weeds in the garden that much easier...and it is going to prevent me from lugging buckets of water to the new garden site to get the peas ready to be planted. I'm intending to spend today doing laundry and poring over garden books and looking through the bread bible a bit...

...which brings us to the post title. Changing the rules. I've made 24 recipes from The Bread Bible so far. And one of the last ones that I made, Cheddar Cheese Bread with Toasted Sesame Seeds, has inspired me to change the rules. I was, as you know, planning to go the Julie Powell route and bake every single recipe in the book. I've changed my mind. I don't like sesame. Having made that last bread, knowing that I wouldn't like it and subsequently not liking it, I've decided not to make recipes that highlight ingredients that I know I don't like. It's a waste of perfectly good flour. (And cheese in the case of that last one.) I will only apply this rule to things that I know I don't like, not things that I suspect I don't like. So, Sesame Whole Wheat Bread with its sesame seeds and sesame oil won't be produced, but some others that I'm lukewarm about will still be made. I feel better having made this decision. There you have it. Now I'm off to decide what bread to make to accompany tonight's scallops.

I'll leave you with one of my favorite pictures from the weekend.

fresh air.

It's just a shade under fifty degrees, and the sun is shining. I can't even find a cloud, and I just looked. We spent the morning outside with S's friend SR. We had a blast. Tomorrow is supposed to bring equally fabulous weather, so we're planning to head to the zoo for a little family time with the animals. As my friend B would say, we're going to get a healthy dose of outdoor-phins. I hope you're all having wonderful weather, and I hope you're all headed outside to enjoy it, too.
FIVE SENSES FRIDAY
Sight: Sunshine.
Sound: S and S giggling.
Smell: Bread baking.
Touch: Warmth. Dirt. Seeds.
Taste: Pineapple. Homemade burger buns.

all cleaned up.

S is at Mother's Day Out this morning, and I have successfully cleaned the house. Pretty much. I'm not messing with the shower today. I am feeling good about things. Of course, S will walk in the door later and immediately start cutting paper and leaving little scraps all over the house, but that's cool. I'm just happy that there is currently a nice, clean slate.

That's not the point of this post, though. I just read an amazing article over on Simple Mom. Check this out: We are much more responsible TO our children than we are FOR them. Read the whole article if you've got a couple of minutes. I really enjoyed it.

Either way, I just wanted to check in and say, "hi." Until next time, here are some shots of the kids. I know you've been missing Otis.

a most amazing day.

Yesterday was just about perfect. Actually, I can't think of anything that would've made it any better, so maybe it was perfect. Alas, I took no pictures of the perfection. M got S when she woke up, and she crawled up into the bed to wake me up. Then M brought in the paper, and we just hung out until time to hit the showers. We went to church and then played in the churchyard in the brilliant sunshine. We chatted. We came home and had a light lunch of crackers, pears, walnuts, and Saint-Andre. We played in the dirt, pulling weeds and raking in the garden. M watched the hockey game. We had Julia Child's garlic soup for dinner. We had family movie night. We watched a little of the Olympic closing ceremony. We went to bed. It really doesn't get much better. Really.

In fact, after M had taken S inside for her rest time and to watch the game, I stayed in the garden, pulling weeds. Every now and again I would just stop and look around and notice my shadow growing longer. I could see the breeze blowing the hair that had escaped from my ponytail. I would play with the mud that was caked onto my hands. And I remember thinking each time, "this is wonderful." Then I would grab another weed and yank. Of course, my knees are still dirty, and my hands are, too. The dirt is so ground in that even though I've scrubbed numerous times, I still keep finding more dirt. And I love it. I also love that last night, as we talked about the garden, S told us that she wanted to "build pumpkins in the garden with eyes and a mouth." I worry that she'll be disappointed that they aren't grown as jack-o-lanterns...

That's it from here, but I'll leave you with a shot of S playing with baby E Friday night.

a little late night resistance.

Last night, after a quick trip to the Feathernesters' house to see the new cabinets (!!!!!), the Ouisers had a little art time. I was very thankful for my husband's willingness to say, "No, S, let's not watch Clifford. Let's just keep drawing." You see, when we got out of the car, S wanted to talk to the moon, so we all looked up at the moon and said goodnight to it. That's when I had the brilliant idea for us to all sit down and draw pictures of the moon and stars. S was into it for about ten minutes, but then she wanted Clifford the Big Red Dog. I would've caved, but M was strong. And it was great.

Ouiser and Little Ouiser art...including a little watercolor resist to look like the night sky.
Mr. Ouiser art. Shooting stars.

FIVE SENSES FRIDAY
Sight: so much sunshine outside right now
Sound: "1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12 Ladybugs came to the ladybug picnic"
Smell: seaweed
Touch: S kissing and tickling baby Jack (I think this is technically a "sight," but I'm using it.)
Taste: blueberries in my Cheerios

now that's bad art.

Inspired by Soule Mama, we hosted a Bad Art Night a couple of weeks ago. Let me start by saying this: I do not believe that there is such a thing as bad art. I don't believe that there are people who are not good artists. I believe that there are people who were told as children that they were bad artists and believed it. I believe there are people who think that unless they are technically proficient in some artistic medium that they cannot be artists. I don't buy it. I believe that if any single person on earth will just let themselves go...will just let themselves draw or paint or doodle or whatever freely...they are achieving art and it will be good in the sense that it was made creatively. I may sound a little hokey pokey, but it's what I think. My husband is a prime example. He sits down to draw with S regularly. When he first started drawing with her, he would tell me things like, "I'm not good at this." Not true. He has a really keen eye for color, and his drawings are always interesting. He's no impressionist master or anything, but from a design standpoint, his work is good. I think people just need someone who will point out the positives instead of the negatives. People need to understand that there is no way that art can be "wrong." I think people worry to much about not doing things right, and it leads them down the "I am not an artist" path. It's crap, I tell you. Crap.

Now off my soapbox.

We called our party Bad Art Night to set everyone at ease. I worried that if I called it something like Family Art Night people might wig out and not show. Does that make sense? It made sense to me. We had a really great time. Lots of appetizers. Lots of kids. Lots of mamas and daddies. Lots of paint and markers and slick stix. It was, without question, my favorite party that the Ouisers have ever thrown, and we've hosted a lot of little parties. Here are some shots...

pete and repeat.

Did you notice? It was the first thing Mr. Ouiser noticed. Know what I'm talking about? The fact that it had been so long since I blogged before yesterday that I didn't even remember or bother to check that I'd already posted that picture of S building her snow girl. Oh, well. You'll live. I'm making up for it by blogging again today.

I'm feeling rather accomplished because I've already run the dishwasher, there are loads of laundry in the washer and the dryer, I've been to the post office to send a gift to my newly engaged dearest friend, and I've been to the grocery. Mind you, the "stuff" is still not all put away and my bed isn't made, but I am taking it easy. Life will go on. I think. At least dinner will get made at some point and we'll all have clean underwear tomorrow.

In my great blogging hiatus of 2010 I've been flooded with all kinds of profound thoughts. Thoughts about politics. About art. About being a mama. About food. About my garden. About those new 2010 habits that are totally not going well (my fingernail nubbins are proof of that). I don't want to get into it today, though, so I'm just going to list some things that I am loving today.

• Hot coffee.
• S enjoying Elizabeth Mitchell on the ride to school.
• Reading John Philip Duck this morning.
• Getting ready to take Mellie to lunch.
• Gloves.
• Knowing that my kitchen is restocked with good stuff.
  
• The forecast, which predicts that it will, in fact, warm up again soon.

I'm off, peeps. I've got to make a couple of phone calls before my lunch date.

Oh, and since I cheated you out of a new photograph yesterday, here you go. S had colored herself to be "like Mulan." Also check out that awesome ring she's sporting. I love that kid.

off the grid

It's been awhile, huh? Sorry about that. I was just being a blog bum, but then we were out of the house for five days while the floors were refinished. It was a surprise. You might recall that our floors were just refinished last Spring. We are not overzealous floor re-finishers or anything, but the finish didn't adhere properly, and our floors were really messed up. They were peeling and cracking, and it was a disaster. So, the guy was coming to deal with it, and I thought he was just going to try out fixing the floors on one little spot. I thought S and I would just have to be out of the house for the day. Wrong. Totally wrong.

So, at 730 last Wednesday morning, I started tearing my house apart, shoving furniture into bedrooms, moving things upstairs. Then I was informed that we'd need to be out of the house for three days...then we could come in on sock feet on day four, then in shoes on day five, then we could move the furniture back on day six. We are very fortunate to have my family close by that was willing to take us in. We are very fortunate to have a groomer who will board our dog with literally five minutes notice.

Anyway, that's where we've been for the last week. We came home Sunday night. We spent the day at Mellie's yesterday since the furniture was still in the bedrooms. But today, o glorious day of miserable weather, we are in our home. Almost normal. S has painted. She has glued. She has colored. She has fed me pretend apples. As soon as I get all the "stuff" back where it belongs, we'll be all set.

Moving on. Since you've last heard from the Ouisers, in addition to being out-of-pocket, we have played in the snow when the temperature was below freezing. We have played outside without jackets, building fairy houses when the temperature was in the 60s. We have hosted a bad art party (more about that later). We have celebrated Valentine's Day. We have visited the Frist (which is currently housing what I swear is the most amazingly beautiful piece of modern sculpture I've ever seen.) It's been fun.

apparently...

Apparently I can't be bothered to do things like post on the blog lately. There hasn't been much going on, and I've been spending most of my extra time baking bread and reading books, and, frankly, that's more appealing than sitting in the cold office/guest room on the computer. Sorry. I'm still not really going to post anything, but I thought you might enjoy a couple of pictures to tide you over until I feel like posting again.

Gearing up for the game, which I missed because I was on an airplane. I didn't miss much.
Clearly disappointed in the Colts.
Building a snow girl.
The snowman...on the opposite side of the walk. Not to be confused with the snow girl.

Hijacked

While Ouiser is away visting Scarlet Lily, I felt it was my duty as Mr. Ouiser to hijack this blog and advertise the entire P family's support for the Indianapolis Colts. We will be on pins and needles until the final seconds tick away and the Colts have won their next Super Bowl.

GO COLTS!!!!!